Front release buckle

ABSTRACT

A front release buckle includes a buckle body, which has a top receiving chamber and a bottom opening, a sliding hook coupled to the top receiving chamber and movable relative to the buckle body between a first position to close the bottom opening of the buckle body for enabling the buckle body to be fastened to a mounting member at an article and a second position to open the bottom opening, and a spring member mounted in the top receiving chamber and stopped between a part of the buckle body and a part of the sliding hook to support the sliding hook in the close position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to buckles and more particularly, to a front release buckle, which has easy mounting/dismounting, small-sized, and rotatable characteristics.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventional front release buckles that are formed of a male buckle member and a female buckle member are commonly used in backpacks, travel bags, shoulder bags, etc., to join two parts together. Further, a snap hook for hanging an article is known comprising a hook body having a hooked portion, and a spring latch pivoted to the hook body to close the hooked portion. This structure of snap hook is not satisfactory in function because the spring latch tends to be opened unintentionally. Further, an eyelet at one end of the hook body for the mounting of a belt may be made not rotatable, or rotatable in one direction only.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show another design of snap hook according to the prior art. According to this design, the snap hook comprises a hook body A and a latch B. The hook body A has a hooked portion A1 extended from a front end, a stop flange A2 and a bearing flange A3 on the middle, a spring strip A5 forwardly extending from a rear end, the spring strip A5 having a hooked front end suspending between the stop flange A2 and the bearing flange A3, two sliding rails A6 arranged in parallel at two opposite lateral sides relative to the bearing flange A3, and a eyelet A7 at the rear end for the mounting of a belt. The latch B is slidably coupled to the sliding rails A6 of the hook body A, having a front tip B1, a rear protrusion B2, and a curved portion B3 between the front tip B1 and the rear protrusion B2. The spring strip A5 imparts a pressure to the curved portion B3 of the latch B, holding the latch B in the close position (see FIG. 8) where the front tip B1 is stopped against the hooked portion A1 to close the hook body A. This structure of snap hook is still not satisfactory in function because of the drawbacks as follows:

1. When release the load from the snap hook, the user must lift the hook body A with much effort so that the belt that is hooked on the hooked portion A1 of the hook body A can be released from the hook body A.

2. Before releasing the load from the snap hook, the user must push the latch B backwards against the spring power of the spring strip A5 to disengage the front tip B1 from the hooked portion A1 with much effort. When lifting the hook body A, the user must hold the latch B in the open position so that the belt that is hooked on the hooked portion A1 of the hook body A can be released from the hook body A. This operation procedure is inconvenient.

FIG. 10 shows another design of buckle according to the prior art. According to this design, the buckle C is comprised of a male buckle member C1 and a female buckle member C2. The male buckle member C1 has a center guide rod C12 forwardly extending from a front side, and two spring arms C11 forwardly extending from the front side and equally spaced from the center guide rod C12 at two sides. The two spring arms C11 each have a front end terminating in a retaining block C13 that defines a barbed engagement portion C14. The female buckle member C2 has a front open side C21, a longitudinal track C22 disposed on the inside and extending to the front open side C21 on the middle, and two side holes C23 respectively cut through the two opposite lateral sidewalls thereof. The side holes C23 each define a front engagement edge C231. When in use, the center guide rod C12 and two spring arms C11 of the male buckle member C1 are inserted into the front open side C21 of the female buckle member C2 to force the center guide rod C12 into the longitudinal track C22, and at the same time the two spring arms C11 are squeezed in direction toward the center guide rod C12 by the two opposite lateral sidewalls of the female buckle member C2. After insertion of the center guide rod C12 into the longitudinal track C22, and the spring power of the spring arms C11 of the male buckle member C1 forces the retaining blocks C13 sideways, thereby causing engagement of the barbed engagement portions C14 of the retaining blocks C13 with the respective front engagement edges C231. This structure of buckle is functional, however it still has drawbacks. After locking, the retaining blocks C13 of the male buckle member C1 are respectively kept engaged in the side holes C23 of the female buckle member C2. However, the protruding retaining blocks C13 may be forced away from the respective side holes C23 accidentally, causing unintentional release of the buckle C. When fastening the male buckle member C1 to the female buckle member C2, the center guide rod C12 must be accurately aimed at the longitudinal track C22 to ensure accurate positioning. If the center guide rod C12 is not accurately aimed at the longitudinal track C22 when fastening the male buckle member C1 to the female buckle member C2, the spring arms C11 and the center guide rod C12 may be deformed or broken unintentionally. Further, it is complicated to process the barbed engagement portion C14 on the retaining block C13 of each spring arm C11. Further, processing the side holes C23 on the female buckle member CA2 wastes much the material for the female buckle member C2.

Therefore, it is desirable to provide a front release buckle that eliminates the aforesaid drawbacks.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. According to one aspect of the present invention, the front release buckle comprises a buckle body, which has a top receiving chamber and a bottom opening, a sliding hook coupled to the top receiving chamber and movable relative to the buckle body between a first position to close the bottom opening of the buckle body for enabling the buckle body to be fastened to a mounting member at an article and a second position to open the bottom opening, and a spring member mounted in the top receiving chamber and stopped between a part of the buckle body and a part of the sliding hook to support the sliding hook in the close position.

According to another aspect of the present invention, the mounting member has two pivot rods insertable into the bottom opening of the buckle body. After connection of the front release buckle to the mounting member, the buckle body can be turned about the pivot rods of the mounting member to the desired angle to keep the front release buckle in close contact with the surface of the article carrying the mounting member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an oblique front elevational view of a front release buckle according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the front release buckle according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional side view of the front release buckle according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional side view, showing the sliding hook moved to the open position before connection of the buckle body to the mounting member.

FIG. 5 corresponds to FIG. 4, showing the buckle body fastened to the mounting member.

FIG. 6 is a schematic drawing showing an application example of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a schematic drawing showing another application example of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a sectional side view of a snap hook according to the prior art.

FIG. 9 corresponds to FIG. 8, showing the latch opened from the hooked portion of the hook body.

FIG. 10 is an exploded view of a buckle according to the prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1˜3, a front release buckle 1 in accordance with the present invention is shown comprising a buckle body 11, a sliding hook 12 and a spring member 13.

The buckle body 11 has a top receiving chamber 110, which accommodates the sliding hook 12 and the spring member 13, a hook-like locating portion 111 fixedly provided at one end, a bottom opening 112 disposed in communication with the top receiving chamber 110 at one side of the hook-like locating portion 111, a mounting portion 113 provided at the other end for the mounting of a belt, and two sliding grooves 114 arranged in parallel at two opposite lateral sides inside the top receiving chamber 110.

The sliding hook 12 has two rails 123 disposed at two opposite lateral sides and respectively coupled to the sliding grooves 114 to guide movement of the sliding hook 12 in the top receiving chamber 110 along the sliding grooves 114, a thumb rest 121 through which a user can move the sliding hook 12 along the sliding grooves 114 with the thumb, and a hook unit 122 extending from the bottom side and adapted to close/open the bottom opening 112 of the buckle body 11.

The spring member 13 is mounted in the top receiving chamber 110 beneath the sliding hook 12, and stopped between the hook unit 122 of the sliding hook 12 and one end of the top receiving chamber 110. The spring member 13 imparts a forward pressure to the sliding hook 12, thereby holding the sliding hook 12 in a first position, namely, the close position where the hook unit 122 closes the bottom opening 112 of the buckle body 11.

Referring to FIGS. 3˜5, when pushing the thumb rest 121 with the thumb to move the sliding hook 12 away from the close position against the spring member 13 to a second position, namely, the open position (see FIG. 4), the hook unit 122 is released from the bottom opening 112 of the buckle body 11. At this time, two pivot rods 21 of a mounting member 2 are respectively inserted into the bottom opening 112 of the buckle body 11. After insertion of the two pivot rods 21 of the mounting member 2 into the bottom opening 112 of the buckle body 11, release the thumb from the thumb rest 121 of the sliding hook 12 for enabling the spring member 13 to push the sliding hook 12 from the open position to the close position to close the bottom opening 112 and to prohibit disconnection of the pivot rods 21 of the mounting member 2 from the bottom opening 112 (see FIG. 5). Further, the mounting member 2 has two mounting through holes 22 for fastening to an article with fastening member 23. The fastening member 23 can be a rivet, a stitch, a bonding agent or a heat-sealing process.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, in case the mounting member 2 is affixed to an angled part of an article, the buckle body 11 of the front release buckle 1 can be turned about the pivot rods 21 of the mounting member 2 to the desired angle and closely attached to the angled surface area of the article. Before moving the sliding hook 12, the user can turn the buckle body 11 of the front release buckle 1 about the pivot rods 21 of the mounting member 2 to the desired angle convenient for operating the sliding hook 12.

Further, the sliding stroke of the sliding hook 12 in the buckle body 11 can be designed to fit different requirements. For example, the sliding stroke of the sliding hook 12 in the buckle body 11 can be shortened so that the front release buckle 1 can be small-sized. Further, when release the mounting member 2 from the front release buckle 1, the user needs not to lift the front release buckle 1. Simply by pushing the sliding hook 12 from the close position to the open position to open the bottom opening 112, the buckle body 11 can easily be removed from the mounting member 2 without effort.

Further, because the thumb rest 121 of the sliding hook 12 is disposed at the top side of the buckle body 11 and exposed to the outside, the user can operate the sliding hook 12 conveniently. Further, the thumb rest 121 of the sliding hook 12 is preferably ribbed, or made having raised portions to increase friction so that the user can move the sliding hook 12 positively with the thumb.

As indicated above, the invention provides a front release buckle 1 that has the following features:

1. The sliding hook 12 is coupled to the buckle body 11 and movable in top receiving chamber 110 of the buckle body 11 between the open position where the bottom opening 112 of the buckle body 11 is opened and the close position where the hook unit 122 of the sliding hook 12 closes the bottom opening 112 of the buckle body 11. When the bottom opening 112 is opened, the buckle body 1 can conveniently be fastened to the pivot rods 21 of the mounting member 2.

2. The sliding stroke of the sliding hook 12 in the top receiving chamber 110 of the buckle body 11 can be shortened so that the front release buckle 1 can be small-sized

3. After installation of the front release buckle 1, the buckle body 11 can be turned about the pivot rods 21 of the mounting member 2 and closely attached to the surface of the article in which the mounting member 2 is installed. When the sliding hook 12 is moved to the open position, the buckle body 11 can be directly removed from the mounting member 2 without effort.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims. 

1. A front release buckle comprising: a buckle body, said buckle body having a top receiving chamber, a hook-like locating portion disposed at a first end thereof, and a bottom opening disposed at one side of said hook-like locating portion; a sliding hook coupled to said top receiving chamber and movable in said top receiving chamber between a first position to close said bottom opening of said buckle body and a second position to open said bottom opening of said buckle body, said sliding hook having a bottom hook unit for closing said bottom opening of said buckle body; and spring means mounted in said top receiving chamber of said buckle body and stopped between a part of said buckle body and a part of said sliding hook to support said sliding hook in said close position.
 2. The front release buckle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said buckle body has two sliding grooves arranged in parallel at two sides inside said receiving top chamber; said sliding hook has two rails arranged in parallel at two sides and respectively coupled to the sliding grooves of said buckle body.
 3. The front release buckle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sliding hook has a top thumb rest for pushing by a user.
 4. The front release buckle as claimed in claim 1, wherein said buckle body has a mounting portion disposed at a second end thereof opposite to said first end for the mounting of a belt. 